Many of you have probably heard the controversy over the ages of the Chinese gymnasts at the Beijing Olympics. The rule is that you must be 16 or older in the year of the Olympics to compete in women's gymnastics. Now I'm no expert on judging the ages of female gymnasts, but even I can look at the picture on the left and promise you that there is no way that girl is 16 years old. To even suggest that she is 16 is comical. And the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) investigation into there allegations was essentially as follows:IOC: Are your gymnasts all 16 or older?
China: Yep
IOC: Are you sure?
China: Yep
IOC: Really sure?
China: Uh-huh
IOC: Cross your heart and hope to die?
China: Stick a needle in our eye
IOC: Ok, thanks. See you on the medal stand.
If baseball players will inject themselves with untested drugs that could leave them sterile and cyclists will monitor their blood hormone levels every 3 hours, day and night, to find out just how much growth hormone they can use and not get caught, is it really that hard to believe that China might lie about the ages of it's gymnasts to have a better chance at winning?
But Nick, their Chinese backed passports prove they're 16. What more do you want?
ReplyDeleteOh, so you mean that the Chinese really, really, really, really promise that those girls are 16? Well then, nevermind. Everybody knows that nobody can lie when they put 4 really's in their promise.
ReplyDeleteWell, it seems to me that in the face of baseball players, cyclists, etc. injecting themselves with who knows what and all the other blatant corruption out there, I would say that underage handstands is among the least of our worries. It's not right, and I completely agree with you, but personally, I think there are other things I'm more worried about. Still, great post.
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